SCALE MODEL NEWS

  A PREQUEL TO  Grease , one of the most successful musicals of all time, has been recently announced. So this 1:25 scale kit of one of the cars featured in the movie looks to be to be a well-timed release. Mat Irvine:  But the kit was released around the time Hobbico ceased business, taking both Revell-Monogram and Revell-Germany with it. However, revitalising the brand has been solved in remarkably short order, and both divisions now seem to be on an even keel – even if Revell-Monogram (now back to Revell Inc) is but a shadow of its former self. And kits are still being issued, this version starting as the Pro Modeler issue of a 1948 Ford. This  Grease  release is basically the stock kit, with the addition of three lots of new parts – grille, front bumper, and wheels. There are also appropriate decals, even including one for the ‘rust’ on the passenger door, visible in the movie when the car first appears. Overall, it’s a great kit, but with one slight worry. ...

THIS EXCELLENT ONLINE CATALOG from Italeri shows you the output for this year and next. It's well worth a good long browse.  SMN report: There's plenty to read ( below ) in the catalog. Italeri has some excellent kits, especially the range of 1:35 scale naval subjects. For aerophiles, there are some unusual items, such as Italian designs of the 1930s. Enjoy...

ONCE UPON A TIME my school-age model-maker gang used to meet up each Saturday morning, then go pack-hunting for the latest model kit. David Jefferis: When we’d parted with our pocket money, off to our homes we’d go, aiming to vote for the best-made model a few days later. Once homework and household chores were done, out came the cement, craft knife, and other tools needed to assemble that object of desire as neatly as possible. Once it was assembled and painted, I’d proudly place my latest finished model on the display shelf. And that’s when the trouble started, because within a week, that shelf needed dusting. And dust had not only collected on the shelf, but also on delicate model parts, such as antennas, pitot tubes, canopies, guns, and aerials. I won’t go into the torment of seeing the damage resulting from my mother’s Speedy Gonzales dusting sessions. The problem was addressed eventually by the installation of a large multi-shelf corner cupboard. My models were effectively invis...

THIS 1:25 SCALE CHEVROLET IMPALA is one of the Revell California Wheels collection. It can also be used to make the custom Impala that starred in the 1973 movie American Graffiti , directed by George Lucas, also famed for his  Star Wars and Indiana Jones sagas. Mat Irvine:  On the face of it, what has a Revell 1958 Chevrolet Impala got to do with the classic  American Graffiti movie? Yes, there is a ’58 Impala in the film, but it has a specific red pinstripe finish over white, the Revell kit box depicting the model in blue. But look at the alternative white finish on one of the box ends, and the supplied decal set. There, the car is finished in white with red pinstriping, closely matching the car in  American Graffiti.  Forget the other cars on screen – John Milner’s Ford Deuce Hot Rod, Bob Falfa’s ’55 Chevy, even the mysterious blonde’s white T-Bird – it’s Steve Bolander’s ’58 Impala that you see most, even if it was driven mostly by Terry ‘The Toad’ Field. ...

THIS 1:8 SCALE BATMAN KIT FEATURES the iconic 1960s TV series original creation, as played by Adam West. Mat Irvine:  Even with reboot movies that feature – currently – five actors reprising the role, many viewers reckon that Adam West (1928-2017) will always be  the  Batman. And this kit is one of a Moebius Models series featuring other Batman figures. Here’s what Moebius has to say of the kit: “…For the first time ever, Moebius Models offers a highly detailed styrene kit of the Caped Crusader based on Batman: The Classic TV Series!  “Accurate likeness of Adam West as Batman! Sculpted by fan-favorite master sculptor Jeff Yagher, Approximately 1:8 scale; completed kit is nearly 10 inches high, Includes batcave rock display base and nameplate, Skill level 3, ages 15 and up. “…FIRST IN A SERIES OF SEVEN KITS; FIT THE BASES TOGETHER TO CREATE A COMPLETE ENSEMBLE SCENE!” It’s not a new kit, dating from 2014, but it’s still worth a good look. Made to 1:8 scale, arguably t...

HERE'S ANOTHER FINE VIDEO BY Tom Grigat. It's an interesting vid featuring figure work, a subject we haven't featured before. SMN report: We've shown Tom's work before, including the 1:16 scale Fokker Triplane that appears briefly.   Click here to view that Fokker Triplane video again– it's well worth a look. And here's another beautIfully made Triplane, this time at a small air museum in East Anglia, UK. Click here to enjoy a nostalgia fest, with heaps of golden age modelling to see.

IN REAL LIFE, THE 1957 CHRYSLER 300C came with long tail fins and a yawning chrome grille. And this 1:25 scale AMT kit models the original nicely. Mat Irvine:  The 1:25 scale Chrysler 300C might seem like a reissue of an AMT original Trophy Series release. AMT did, after all, issue cars from the same year, such as Ford and Chevrolet. But this is a more recent kit, initially dating from the time when AMT was an Ertl brand. Consequently this Chrysler 300C has more modern features, including a full chassis with separate frame, and a multi-piece interior. Earlier Trophy Series were more detailed than the ‘annual’ releases. Although many still came with solid chassis rails and pan, separate axles, suspension and exhaust were the norm, though the interior would have been a one-piece tub, albeit with separate seats and dash. But, unlike earlier Trophy Series, which could usually be built in one of three ways – stock, custom, or competition – this latest release is purely a ‘one way’ build...